Car Crash Statistics Based on Age and Location

Car crash statistics, especially for car crashes by age, are important indicators of the elevated risks of certain age groups when it comes to operating a motor vehicle. A car crash kills a person every 12 minutes on average in the United States. Every year there are more than 6 million car accidents, the cause of about 40,000 fatalities per year. Among other factors, statistics are compiled based on age and location. Depending on the age group, the chances of a fatal car accident is more or less likely to happen. Indeed, the highest risk age group is 16 to 19-year olds. The following is a list of statistics for car crashes based on age and location. It does not take into account whether, for instance, the crash involved a side impact or head-on collision, but certain other criteria are included.

Car Crash Statistics Based on Age

Teens = Highest Risk Group: For every mile driven, teens between the ages of 16 and 19 are four times as likely to be involved in a car crash

Teenage Car Fatalities: 5,000 teens in the 16 to 20 age group die each year as a result of a car crash

Teenage Car Injuries: 400,000 teens in the same age group are injured each year in car accidents

Disproportionate Population / Fatality Ratio: Teens make up 10% of the population but represent 12% of car crash fatalities

Cost: 30% or $26 billion per year in costs are accounted for by drivers under the age of 24

Driving Habits: Teenagers are more likely to speed, tailgate and only 10% report wearing seatbelts

Teen Male Drivers: Of male drivers ages 15 to 20 killed in car crashes, 38% were speeding and 24% were under the influence of alcohol

High Risk Age Groups: People between the ages of 15 and 24 and over 75 are the groups most likely affected by car accidents

Senior Drivers: Drivers over the age of 65 are second most likely to die in a car crash

Safety Disparity: Despite the fact that older drivers are on average slower, safer drivers, they are more likely to die in a car accident than younger drivers

Car Crash Statistics Based on Location

Rural Danger: There are about 30% more car crash fatalities in rural areas than in urban areas

Deer Collisions: About 150 people die and 10,000 people are injured every year due to collisions with deer which roam rural and less densely populated areas

Run-off Road Collisions: Over 31% of all U.S. car-related fatalities are caused by vehicles running off of the road, an event more likely to happen along highways or where there is a steep shoulder

Newark, NJ: According to Allstate Insurance, people are more likely to be involved in a car crash in Newark, NJ than anywhere else in the nation

Car crash statistics may only give a purely numeric indication of how car crashes happen, but they correctly indicate that certain age groups and certain locations are at a higher risk than others. It is not to say that drivers over the age of 24 and under the age of 65 should be unconcerned about accidents. They merely point to the fact that teenagers and senior citizens are at a higher risk when driving. Defensive, safe driving should be practiced at all ages, and no matter if you are in the middle of a city or on one of the nation’s highways.